The Virtues of Slow Motion

By

Geoffrey Norman

Updated April 2, 2004 12:01 a.m. ET

It is time for the Final Four, sports television's idea of a really good thing. To make it on the box, games need, to paraphrase Monsieur Danton, l'action, plus d'action, toujours l'action, and this weekend's broadcast is pretty much the paradigm, with monster dunks and soaring rebounds, sweat flying, leads changing, comebacks and last-second shots that result in triumph or heartbreak. With any luck, everyone -- players, coaches, broadcasters, spectators and the fans at home -- will feel wrung out when it is all over.